Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
You're listening to Food for Thought with Billy and Jenny,
brought to you by the Box Center.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
For more than fifteen.
Speaker 1 (00:05):
Years, this dining duo has been eating their way through
New England, mixing it up with top chefs, jumping behind
the line of the hottest restaurants and giving you the
inside scoop on where to wine, dine and spend your time.
So get ready, it's Food for Thought giving you something
to chew on.
Speaker 3 (00:21):
Hey, everybody, welcome into Food for Thought. Billy Costa here,
hope your weekend. Your weekend is going beautifully. We've got
a big show this week. I happen to keep my
boat in Charlestown. By the way, the Charlestown Marina named
number one marina in America. Wow, And I've been there
for several summers now. And one of the most famous
(00:41):
places in Charlestown is Warren Tavern, which is, I believe,
one of the oldest taverns in the country. And Charlestown
is getting ready for a big celebration. I think it's
two hundred or two hundred and fifty years or something.
Wo So Kim, the general manager of Warren Tavern, who's
going to be joining us a little bit later in
the show. But right now we've got my old friend
(01:02):
Jimmy Lang from Fuji Restaurants and now the all new
Mason's Steakhouse in Quincy. Now, Jimmy, I'm gonna put you
on the spot. Yes, I did it on the Billy
and Lisa Morning Show. Hopefully you have done your homework
since how many Fujis and where are they? Okay, I'm
keeping notes this time.
Speaker 2 (01:21):
All right, I've got six Fujisa. I'm in Newton, Yeah,
Assembly Row, Ink Block.
Speaker 3 (01:30):
You're in the Ink Block.
Speaker 2 (01:31):
Yeah? Oh yeah, in Boston Okay, High Street Place.
Speaker 3 (01:34):
Oh, we've got four so far, quin Quincy, the original,
the Motherland, so to speak. Okay.
Speaker 2 (01:43):
In Kendall Square, Oh good, good, good square on Third Street.
Speaker 3 (01:47):
You know, funny thing about Kendall Square. I grew up
in East Cambridge and Kendall Square was basically my backyard,
believe it or not. The freight yards, the railroad yards, yeah,
you're long gone, were my backyard. It was great growing
up my brother and I and our friends. But always
raise hell over at the freight yards and we actually
hop the trains like old Western style while they were moving.
(02:12):
The goal was to get on the train and climb
up onto the rooms like an old Western But now
what was our backyard like a ghost town? Yeah, and abandoned.
That freight yard is now Technology Square. And where in
the Kendall Square area is Fuji?
Speaker 2 (02:29):
I am on third third Street? Yeah? Three and your
third okay? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (02:34):
Is that near Cambridge Side?
Speaker 2 (02:37):
That is where a couple of blocks away from camber Side.
Speaker 3 (02:40):
Okay, yeah, yeah, all right, so Kendle Square, but the
original one is Quincy. Give us a history. How did
it come about? Fuji and Quincy? Where were you before
you started Fuji Quinsy?
Speaker 2 (02:52):
So where was I? I started my culinary journey when
I was about fourteen. I worked around restauranting Cambridge in Boston,
and by the time I was sixteen, I was a
full fledged sushi chef at really at a couple of
restaurants like which Ones Tokyo restaurant in Cambridge. All the
(03:15):
restaurants I worked at, Billy, they're all closed.
Speaker 3 (03:17):
Now that's okay, Well you didn't shut them down. We
need to put that out. Nothing you did. It just
happened organically.
Speaker 2 (03:24):
So that time time happened, okay. And so I was
at after Tokyo. I was over at Yoshi on Newbury Street.
Speaker 3 (03:31):
Oh yeah, yeah, a really good place.
Speaker 2 (03:34):
Yeah yeah. And then I became head chef when I
was eighteen years old at the Apollo in Chinatown. I
don't know if you remember that, but that was like
a late night spot. It was a Korean Japanese restaurant.
Speaker 3 (03:45):
So this is really a hard working road to where
you are now.
Speaker 2 (03:49):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (03:50):
No, I know. Jenny and I shot our TV show
at I think it was Fuji and Quincy.
Speaker 2 (03:54):
No, you were you guys were at a BIS show
Chi when you were there. I was, I was there.
I was in the peripheral. But you you were doing
and you did the interview with my manager at the time, Alexis.
Speaker 3 (04:07):
And wasn't it like a cooking demo or something that
we did in there? I see, I thought I did
a cooking demo with you. It might have been a dream.
All due respect, every so often.
Speaker 2 (04:17):
Jimmy stuff together.
Speaker 3 (04:22):
Not that there's anything wrong with that. I'm just saying, Okay,
so six foujis and they're all wonderful. The one that
assembly row it took some serious colonies, can I say that?
Aj the producer on w b Z right now. Okay, serious,
because Assembly Row for years was a ghost town. I
mean it was a mall some time ago that did okay,
(04:44):
but then was abandoned.
Speaker 2 (04:45):
Do you remember the good times?
Speaker 3 (04:47):
Yes, absolutely it was.
Speaker 2 (04:49):
It was kind of a fun place back then. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (04:51):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (04:51):
Everybody went there, hung out and it was a run mall.
They they did casino nights. I remember, Oh.
Speaker 3 (04:56):
Wow, I remember the store suit Yourself, Franco. I had
a men's clothing store, Suit Yourself there. But then it
was closed for a long time and they only store
left was the Christmas tree shop.
Speaker 2 (05:06):
They I think they. I don't know if there's still there.
I can't remember.
Speaker 3 (05:11):
I don't think, but they were there for a long
long But you were one of the first to open
a Fuji at Assembly Row, and that must have been
a gamble because you didn't know what to expect there, right,
I mean when.
Speaker 2 (05:22):
We first got in there was kind of like no
man's land. Yes, it was just all construction. I still remember.
After I secured the location, we were working on build
out plans. I took my parents there because they want
the sea. Sure it's doing, so I took a little
trip over and I was showing them They're like, what
are you doing? Are you sure you want to open
in Russia? I go, mom, it's were the very beginning
(05:44):
stages of Lodge development. I said, you know, this company,
Federal Realty, they're putting in a lot of money. So
who am I to say?
Speaker 3 (05:52):
Well, I'm sure they said the same thing to a
lot of the business owners that went into the Seaport district.
And look at the Seaport District now and now as
Assembly roll, one of the busiest malls you can go to.
It is crowded and packed every day, all day into
the night.
Speaker 2 (06:08):
Well, I mean, you know, it's it's they have a
good formula, which is great, great store selections, and you
put out your best product and then they've delivered on
every part of it. Because it's a gorgeous place to
walk around in, right, It's like a city within a
city in itself. Yeah, and it's just amazing. And it
has all these different businesses there, all these different services there, restaurants,
(06:32):
it's I mean, I think they I mean, it's it's
highly successful over there. It's it's it's huge.
Speaker 3 (06:37):
Okay, before we go to break very quickly, let's say
you don't own Fuji and you're walking in for the
first time, give me the one dish you cannot leave
without having spicy to in a row boom, just like that,
just like and that happens to be one of my
favorite roles.
Speaker 2 (06:52):
Thank you.
Speaker 3 (06:52):
And by the way, I've had yours many times, and
I don't mind telling you you make a great cocktail.
Shout out to your bartenders. Thank you Fuji to Rowan.
I'm sure that's the case in all of your Fuji's.
But we're gonna take a break. When we come back.
You've got a brand new steakhouse, yes, sir, in an
historical building downtown Quinsy, which is, for the lack of
a better phrase, kicking ass. Thank you, and we're going
(07:15):
to talk about that right after the break. Can I
say that aj on the show, okay, or she'll probably
edit without telling me. For the West Coast Feed, we'll
take a break where it's Jimmy Lang from Fuji and
now Mason Steakhouse and Quincy will take a break. We'll
be right back.
Speaker 1 (07:30):
You're listening to Food for Thought, brought to you by
the Box Center and Salem Waterfront Hotel in.
Speaker 3 (07:35):
Sweets Hey, everybody, welcome back to Food for thought. Very
cool guy. Jimmy Lang owns all the Fuji restaurants.
Speaker 2 (07:41):
Six of them. Yes, Billy, you have a bakery.
Speaker 3 (07:44):
I didn't know that I do.
Speaker 2 (07:45):
I just started that that I opened last August. It's
called Nibu Patisseri, and it's all about my chef, Chef
rob A Gonzalez. Amazing, amazing guy. We met eight years
ago when he was twenty twenty three years old. He
was already head chef at Bishamdi as the head baker.
Speaker 3 (08:04):
Oh, I love that restaurant, right, that's good accolades right there.
Speaker 2 (08:08):
Yeah, he was just he's also published cookbook author and
he he was this year's first runner up on the
annual Spring Bakeoff on the Food Network.
Speaker 3 (08:17):
So he's your bakery person.
Speaker 2 (08:19):
Yeah, he's my baker.
Speaker 3 (08:20):
And they're beautiful pastries. You brought a few boxes in today.
Speaker 2 (08:23):
Yeah, he's he's he does amazing work. He's the real deal.
So we met eight years ago. On the second night,
I introduced myself because he thought I was the bus
boy I was. I was waiting on on on on
on his table for two nights in a row. And
then I introduced myself and I said, and because the
first night he told me he was the head baker
(08:44):
over there, and the second night I was like, you
know what, I want an open bakery with you someday. Wow.
So it was eight years in the works. We so
he waited for me for good solid five years and
then we started looking at locations. Nothing came into fruition.
But now eight years into it, into that journey of ours,
we finally opened our first Nebu patisseri last year in August.
(09:05):
He's also partners with me at Mason's. He is my
head baker for the bakery department over Okay, which.
Speaker 3 (09:11):
By the way, you sounded like you were going to
open another bakery there for a second. Is that because
your wheels are always spinning.
Speaker 2 (09:17):
It's always spinning, there's always something in the work.
Speaker 3 (09:20):
Okay. Now we got to talk about Mason's the steakhouse. Yes, yes,
how long has it been open? Where exactly in Quincy
is it?
Speaker 2 (09:27):
So? Mason's Steakhouse is We are right across the street
from the Quinny Cento tes station, Yeah, kitty corner from
city Hall and the John Hancock Library. The building is
an old Masonic temple. I was built in nineteen twelve,
very historic, so it's amazing locations, very grand. I've known
(09:48):
of the building ever since I was a little boy
and I used to go to the John Hancock Library
and do my homework, and yeah, I fell in love
with the building ever since then.
Speaker 3 (09:57):
It burned down, right, Yeah, burned.
Speaker 2 (09:59):
Down it was.
Speaker 3 (10:00):
It was.
Speaker 2 (10:01):
It was a horrible fire. I mean it was accidental,
but I mean, but the just the site of a
historical building burning it didn't look right.
Speaker 3 (10:09):
So in the course of opening Mason's the Steakhouse, Am
I saying that right? Yes, in the course of opening
mason Steakhouse, you're also revitalizing, Yeah, the city of Quincy
in downtown with a famous building.
Speaker 2 (10:23):
Yes, So you know, credit goes to Fox Rock. Fox Rock.
They they bought the building and they they built two
buildings there, residential buildings called Center and Stone, gorgeous buildings
by the way, beautiful gyms love it. And so they
they they they they took out a space that copped
(10:45):
it copped it up, which is the Mason's Building. And
they yeah, described the interior of the building. It's two floors.
Oh geez, my my prep kitchen, now, Billy, When I
first got there, it was underwater, Okay, yeah, for status,
but now I mean it's it's my prep kitchen. And
then on the first level we have a full expo
(11:06):
kitchen with with with dining room. And then on the.
Speaker 3 (11:09):
Second exposed expo kitchen it's it's a little exposed.
Speaker 2 (11:13):
Yeah, you can see it, and up top you see
like so much firewood because we use the firewood for
for the food. We use a thing called the Jospa
grill and it's a combination of wood and coal, so
we have a lot of firewood there. You can see
the fire would displayed up top and we actually use
it not just for display, but it's it's a semi
(11:33):
open kitchen. It's very efficient. It was designed the kitchen.
It was an overall design. The overall design was Kevin Long.
You know Kevin.
Speaker 3 (11:42):
I've known Kevin for years. He was a Big nine
Entertainment for a long time. I know Kevin as far
back as when he was the executive chef at Tosca
and Haingham. I would go all the way to Hangham
just to get his food.
Speaker 2 (11:54):
It's good.
Speaker 3 (11:54):
Is incredibly talent.
Speaker 2 (11:56):
Absolutely, so walk us.
Speaker 3 (11:58):
Through your go to dishes, like if they're coming to
Mason Steakhouse for the first time. What is it that
they absolutely have to have before.
Speaker 2 (12:06):
They leave everything on the menu? Sir, Okay, that's what
I would say, but I mean some of my own
go to I mean, honestly, I love all the food
and I don't and I don't say that lightly. I
feel like the food is so good that I even
though I was very involved with the menu creation, working
with the guys giving them direction on where it needs
(12:27):
to go. But it's been a whole team collaboration terms
of where the menu is. And we've already changed it
once already.
Speaker 3 (12:35):
Where did you actually open?
Speaker 2 (12:36):
Masons to summer twenty third of last year? So two
days before Christmas?
Speaker 3 (12:40):
Oh wow, yeah, I'm kind of and the day before
my birthday. Oh yeah, happy birth See now I have
to come in for my birthday dinner.
Speaker 2 (12:46):
Your birthday, Oh my god.
Speaker 3 (12:48):
By the way, I have to mention you brought me
a couple of bottles of Camus red. Yes, and I
don't know how you knew it, but it's by far
my number one favorite red. What a beautiful wine.
Speaker 2 (13:02):
Wine for a cool guy like the Little Bird tell
you or something?
Speaker 3 (13:05):
How do we even know that you're reading my mind?
Speaker 2 (13:07):
It's one of my favorites.
Speaker 3 (13:09):
So do you fuse any of what you do with
Fuji with Mason Steakhouse?
Speaker 2 (13:17):
The overall answer is no, but there's a couple of
items that I squeezed him there. And I did that
for my father because my father and I will go,
we will go eat and stuff and every time we
go to a steakhouse. Yes, he would order the steak,
but that's pretty much it. He doesn't do the magazine
steak and potatoes guy. Yeah, my dad's not really steak
(13:39):
and potatoes. He's very traditional Asian. He needs to have
his white rice, his cobs, of course, right, and he
needs to have some veggies, and most steakhouses don't carry
things like that. So I added that to the menu.
And then I took one sauce which is a citrus
soy sauce that I make for Fuji. But I took
(13:59):
that and I'm making it into such a soy. I
made it into a reduction, so it still carries the
same flavors as the original sauce does, but it's but
it's now a different texture and it's a lot and
it's very very good for steaks, for fish, for everything.
So what's your favorite steak at my favorite steak it
would be the grass fed grass fed steak USDA Prime,
(14:23):
amazing cut. I could eat it all day long.
Speaker 3 (14:27):
But the lamb is so good. Well you've got lamb.
Speaker 2 (14:30):
Oh yeah, we've got lamb. The lamb is so good, Billy.
But I can't eat that too much because then you
get gout.
Speaker 3 (14:35):
I love lamb. Yeah, wife Michelle doesn't like it. So
we go out to eat. If lamb is on the menu,
get it because I don't have to share so good
anything else we get. We usually know half a net.
Well why don't you get the headache or the card
and I'll get the meat and then we split these.
But if there's a lamb in the menu, I'm getting
lamb because I don't have to give half of it away.
Speaker 2 (14:55):
Well you can split pastas we have. We have housemade pasta.
Oh okay, yeah, my, my, my, my pasta. Women Leada,
she is amazing. She makes she comes in every day.
She makes fresh pasta.
Speaker 3 (15:06):
We're talking a nice bolonnaise.
Speaker 2 (15:07):
Oh yeah, the bolonnaise, it's is so good. I actually
have a picture here. I'll show you real quick that okay.
Speaker 3 (15:14):
And while you look for the picture, how about seafood.
What's on the menu.
Speaker 2 (15:16):
Seafood. We have salmon, we have we have from cocktail,
we have we have prawns, we have prons. We have
something called fire five grilled prawn. So we put that
we marinated with with our sauces. We add we actually
add Harrisa on it and we put on the grill
(15:37):
and it comes out a little bit burnt, a little
bit of chocoal, but it's the flavors. It's amazing. And
the prons are huge, actually, the size of the prons.
It's now really good.
Speaker 3 (15:48):
We've got two big holidays coming up. The tend to
pack restaurants. Okay, Easter is around the corner. Yep, Mother's
Day is around the corner. Do you do any special
things for Mother's Day or for Easter?
Speaker 2 (16:01):
Yes, sir, we actually started working on that and your
favorite chef, Kevin, Yeah, he's in charge of doing special
stuff for us. So for those two days, Kevin is
actually shutting the restaurant down. Well, I shouldn't say shutting
the restaurant down. He's uh, he's where. We're doing different
hours on those two days. Yeah, we're gonna go. Usually
(16:21):
we open at four and we have run until nine thirty,
ten thirty. But on Mother's Day and Easter and on
East I think we're gonna be doing twelve o'clock to
eight o'clock. Oh okay, and Kevin's gonna be running the
whole show.
Speaker 3 (16:36):
But typically at Mason's, you don't do lunch.
Speaker 2 (16:40):
No, we don't get lunch, not yet. No, yeah, we start.
We're starting brunch this weekend. Actually, oh yeah, this is perfect.
Come bine, try out, try it out, brunch everybody. It's
gonna be amazing.
Speaker 3 (16:50):
Well what are you laying out during brunch? Is it
order from the menu kind of a.
Speaker 2 (16:53):
Brunch, yeah, order from menu. But we have I mean,
we have sweet stuff, we have savory stuff.
Speaker 3 (17:00):
Well, you have a bakery. Of course, you have sweet stow.
Speaker 2 (17:02):
We're gonna have croissants at some point. I think we
want to roll in tea time too, okay, like high
te on the weekends as well. So but yeah, the
Sunday combine, No, the Saturday Sunday, we're doing brunch of
Saturday Sundays. Come by, check it out. It's it's gonna
be amazing.
Speaker 3 (17:16):
Well, Jumie, I can't thank you enough for swinging by.
I know you are very generous and kind to the
morning show, The Billy and Lisa Morning Show, and you
and I will be doing some stuff together in the future.
You're always generous and you always offer up a great product.
So folks, if you're listening, try any of the six
fujis and definitely check out check out Mason Steakhouse and
what's the bakery name again.
Speaker 2 (17:37):
Nivu Patisseri and North Quincy.
Speaker 3 (17:39):
All right, Jimmy Lang, thank you so much for coming by.
Speaker 2 (17:41):
Thank you, Billy, appreciate you.
Speaker 3 (17:42):
We got to take a break. Next we're going to Charlestown,
his historical year in Charlestown, we'll meet the people who
run Warren Tavern.
Speaker 1 (17:50):
Next, you're listening to Food for Thought, brought to you
by the Box Center and Saling Waterfront Hotel in sweets Hey.
Speaker 3 (17:57):
Everybody, welcome back to a Food for Thought. The show continue.
I hope you have it a great night. I've got
Kim Mahoney and Nolan Carrier both here from the historical
Warren Tavern in Charlestown, which I like to call my
summer home if you don't mind, I dock at the
Charlestown Marina, which what by the way, was named number
one marina in America. So shout outs and congratulations to
(18:20):
Chuck and and Lagassi and their team. But let's talk
about the big celebration that's coming to Charlestown and Kim,
I'll start with you. Why are we celebrating in What
are we celebrating in Charlestown.
Speaker 4 (18:32):
So in June, the month of June, pretty much the
entire month will be celebrating the two hundred and fiftieth
anniversary of the revolution, which is which is called the
Battle of Bunker Hill, Battle of Breedee. Yeah, thus the
monument that's the Bunker Hill Monument. Yeah, that's why we
have a monument there.
Speaker 5 (18:48):
With that.
Speaker 4 (18:49):
In the Warren Tavern is going to be celebrating the
two hundred and forty fifth anniversary of the building itself.
It's the original structure, so we'll have that. They coincide
with one another. So lots of activity in Charlestown and
Nolan just a quick correction is part of the Bunge
Hill Associates, which is part of that whole programming shows
(19:11):
you're a little too well dressed for a tavern.
Speaker 6 (19:13):
I probably won't, I probably won't make the history books.
But like Paul Rivera or George Washington, but a lifelong
pitsion of the Warren Tavern as well.
Speaker 3 (19:20):
So you're in on the committee, so to speak, the
group that is running this celebration.
Speaker 6 (19:25):
Yeah, along with a bunch of other organizations in Charlestown.
But we have been the Warren Tavin has been a
huge supporter of ours since our inception in nineteen eighty five.
So that's how we kind of fit in with the
Tavern on this one and especially this year.
Speaker 3 (19:39):
Yeah, and we'll talk more about the celebration as the
show continues. But God, the Warren Tavern two hundred and
forty five years incredible.
Speaker 4 (19:47):
Yeah, I mean frequented by Paul Revere, Samuel Adams, George
Washington himself.
Speaker 3 (19:52):
Wait a minute, Paul Revere would pull up with his horse.
Speaker 4 (19:55):
Yes sir, and really drink some cider or ale, which
was the drink of choice.
Speaker 3 (20:00):
Back then, and then what was his favorite dish.
Speaker 4 (20:03):
Well, it's funny because they only really served like soups
and stews, so back then they would just take things
that whatever they had in the kitchen and they would
just kind of throw it.
Speaker 3 (20:13):
Do you still have that stew on the menu?
Speaker 5 (20:15):
No, we we do a close thing called the clam chowder.
Speaker 3 (20:18):
So all right, it's gonna be a great summer, is
what you're saying. And when does it all start.
Speaker 5 (20:23):
It's gonna kick.
Speaker 4 (20:23):
Well, it actually kicks off, believe it or not. April eighteenth,
there's gonna be a Paul Revere ride. There's gonna be
two Paul Revella rides through haws back on Friday, April eighteenth.
Paul Revere is gonna come through the harbor, across the
harbor on a boat and then jump on a hoss
and ride from uh from Charlestown over all the way
to Charlesington.
Speaker 3 (20:42):
Okay, well, hold that thought. We have to take our
first break, and we're talking about Charlestown and Warren Tavern
and the big celebration coming up. We'll talk more right
after the break.
Speaker 1 (20:51):
You're listening to Food for Thought brought to you by
the Box Center and sail In Waterfront Hotel and sweets.
Speaker 3 (20:58):
Hey, everybody, welcome back to Food for Thought again. Billy
Costa here, welcome in. We've got Kim Mahoney and Nolan Carrier.
We're talking about the big celebration in Charleston celebrating the
two hundred and fiftieth, but also Kim is with Warren
Tavern and the tavern is celebrating the two hundred forty fifth.
And I don't mind saying you look fabulous, Ken. You
(21:19):
saw that coming right? How many times as somebody.
Speaker 5 (21:22):
Said, just tell my husband that no joke.
Speaker 3 (21:24):
Like an old joke, you know what I'm saying. I
got to tell you though, I've been in you know,
because I keep my boat in Charlestown. We're there most
of the summer, and every time I go into Warren Tavern,
I walk away amazed and how good the food is?
You want to shout out the chef.
Speaker 4 (21:38):
For Yeah, we want to shut off the staff we have.
We have the same staff we've had. I mean I've
been there for twenty five years. The chef has been
there probably around twenty and other employees have been there.
Speaker 5 (21:53):
I've had a higher local all the time.
Speaker 4 (21:56):
So I've had kids there since they've been sixteen years old.
Now they're in their thirties. So we're consistent everybody. We
treat the staff like a family. We call it a
dysfunctional family, if you will, but always there for one
another and try to make it a good fun work
environment that we show that we care for people.
Speaker 3 (22:15):
And I'm so glad you're saying that, because you know,
working years in food television, between TV Diner and Dining
Playbook and now meet Boston. The one conversation I constantly
end up having with management is staffing, and all I
ever hear is it's really tough finding staff, but even
tougher keeping staff. But you're doing both.
Speaker 2 (22:38):
How do you do it?
Speaker 5 (22:41):
I don't know.
Speaker 4 (22:41):
I think it's my approach to people, and you know,
and the owners are so good to me in terms
of letting me have that free reign where I can
manage the staff. But I think it's because I invest
in them. I care about their lives, I care about
what they're doing. I try to mentor them so that yes,
the warrant having it's a great place to work, but
(23:02):
there's more to life outside of restaurant industry, and I
encourage them to do more with their lives, you know,
And if they want to stay in the industry, that's great,
but you know, there's careers that they can advance and
do better.
Speaker 3 (23:13):
You know. Well, for the sake of people listening who
haven't been to a war and tavern in Charlestown. Walk
us into the building, into the space, and what are
the things that should jump right out at them that
are still left from the original days, so to speak,
If there is anything.
Speaker 4 (23:29):
Yes, so it would be the floors, fears later, Yes,
in the beams. So if you when you were first
walk in, you're going to feel that warmth that you
probably did in seventeen eighty, that cozy warmth. But also
you'll you'll you'll immediately your attention will immediately go to
the beams that we still have in this.
Speaker 5 (23:50):
Original original beams in the original flooring.
Speaker 4 (23:53):
If you look to the left, that's what we call
Kate's room.
Speaker 5 (23:57):
I don't know why. I think it was the farmer
owners niche she used to own the warrant tab in
a long time ago. Not a ghost but pictures of Kate. No,
I don't have any pictures of her, but we called it.
Speaker 4 (24:07):
That room is really really the main part of what
the original structure once was. So we kind of keep
the benches there and everything cozy and tidy.
Speaker 3 (24:18):
In the let's face that I mean, Charlestown, besides being historical,
is so charming, yes, as a town. And we're coming
up on the warmer weather, spring, summer eventually, and you
have a great outdoor dining section and to sit out
there having lunch or dinner is you feel like you're
in the middle of history and it's a great little
(24:40):
neighborhood and it's charming. You've got one of the best,
most charming outdoor seating area.
Speaker 4 (24:44):
I appreciate you saying that because I think so too.
And I feel like when I walk out the door
and you see the outdoors dining once it's set up,
and you look up in the backdrop as the Bunker
Hill monument. Yeah, as someone who grew up in Charlestown,
I feel that, you know, well, you got that great
sense of pride because Charleston does not get the true
recognition it deserves for its place in American.
Speaker 3 (25:06):
History, right, I think I agree with you.
Speaker 4 (25:08):
Yeah, it really doesn't. And without that battle, we wouldn't
have our freedom. Yeah it's the battle we lost, but.
Speaker 5 (25:13):
We wouldn't have that freedom.
Speaker 4 (25:14):
And from there, that's how you know with the Warren
Tavern was the first building built after the town of
Charleston was burnt down by the British soldiers. Yeah, so
the significance of that is huge and the fact that
it's named after General Warren, a forgotten patriot.
Speaker 3 (25:27):
There you go, and you'll get a real sense of
just how cool and historical Charleston is with the big
celebration that's coming up to two hundred fiftieth and we're
going to talk a lot about that. But before we
go to break, walk us through the menu. If you're
coming into Warren Tavern, not as the general manager, not
a part of the staff, so to speak, what are
(25:48):
the two things you have to get at Warren Tavern?
Speaker 5 (25:52):
Clam chowder is the one thing.
Speaker 4 (25:54):
I mean, it's the cornerstone of our menu. It's been
the same recipe since I can remember. And I would
look to.
Speaker 5 (26:02):
The baked tactic, which we all love, but that's the truth.
Speaker 4 (26:08):
It's the best around. And I would look to a burger.
Burgers are excellent.
Speaker 3 (26:11):
How many different burgers you have a variety?
Speaker 4 (26:13):
Yeah, we have about maybe four or five burgers, But
straight up, my go to is a straight up bacon chedderburgher.
Speaker 3 (26:20):
And every single time I walk in, I can't help
but feel that it's mostly regulars. You get the sense
that it's people that come several times a week and
sit in the same seats at the bar, or just
to be a part of it, so to speak.
Speaker 4 (26:34):
Oh, I appreciate you saying that, because we try to work.
We work very hard at making it a local place,
a neighborhood place, because Charlston's a walkable community, right, so
we work hard at keeping that balance that. Yes, we
have lots of tourists that walk through our door, all
walks of life, but we keep it local because we
know it's a walkable community and we want to make
(26:56):
sure that we capture that that local feel. And we
don't go John Price his tourist price or anything like that.
We try to keep our price points.
Speaker 3 (27:03):
And you know, you're a part of history. You're working
and existing in a building that is a serious part
of history. And no better time to check out Charlestown
than this year because they are celebrating two hundred and
fifty years. And we'll tell you some of what to
expect and some of what to take in. Right after the.
Speaker 1 (27:19):
Break, you're listening to Food for Thought, brought to you
by the Box Center and Salem Waterfront Hotel in Swedes.
Speaker 3 (27:27):
Hey, everybody, welcome back to Food for Thought. I'm having
a lot of fun. First again, thanks to Jimmy Lang
top of the show. He came in to talk about
Fuji his new steakhouse in Quincy called Mason Steakhouse. Really
really cool and very very generous guy. So shout outs
again to Jimmy Lang and his staff. And now I'm
here with Kim Mahoney with Nolan a carrier. Kim is
well the general manager of history the Warren Tavern in Charlestown,
(27:50):
and Nolan, you are with an association that is a
big part of what's going to be happening in Charlestown.
When does it start, the two fiftieth celebration? Correct?
Speaker 6 (28:01):
Yeah, So I am lucky, lucky to be the president
and very grateful to be the president of an association
in Charlestown that's been around since nineteen eighty five. It's
called the Bunker Hill Associates. And in the month of June,
to celebrate the two hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the
Battle of Bunker Hill, We're going to put on a
week's worth of events for kids, for families, for veterans,
(28:24):
all free of charge.
Speaker 3 (28:25):
Okay, When does it start?
Speaker 6 (28:28):
June June twelfth, June twelfth, over the beginning and it
will have a celebration for veterans as it is a
veterans parade that next coming Sunday the Battle of Bunker Hill.
Speaker 3 (28:42):
So the parade in Charlestown is a real parade, correct,
you know, a lot of towns try it and it's
but when you're in Charlestown and you get behind the scenes,
you see all the trucks and the marching bands are
coming in from all over. I get the sense that
they're all thrilled to be a part of that parade
in Charleston. So the parade will happen during that week, right, that.
Speaker 6 (29:04):
Is the end of the celebration will be that Sunday
on June sixteenth.
Speaker 3 (29:09):
So that's the big finale it is, and everybody's lined
up in the streets and their beach chairs and everything.
It's such a cool event. And one year my wife
Michelle and I actually went to Monument and because they
had seating right outside on the parade route and we
got coffee in bissone or something and okay, so walk
(29:29):
us through the celebration. It all starts June twelveth. What
can we expect either one of you, you Nolan or
you Kim.
Speaker 6 (29:36):
So starting on that June twelfth, the week before, we're
actually going to raise the Bunky Hill flag at the
monument and kind of kick off the week full of celebrations,
and then from there we're doing a bunch of a
bunch of other smaller events for kids to get Charleston's
got talent? A family feud?
Speaker 3 (29:55):
Are you having a talent show? Oh? It's no way,
really awesome? Every park? Where's it going to be at?
Speaker 2 (30:01):
That?
Speaker 5 (30:01):
Inanu Street Park on the park off of Main Street
in Charleston.
Speaker 3 (30:04):
Oh okay, Oh that's cool. Yeah, I mean it really
is Charlestown idol exactly.
Speaker 6 (30:11):
We have a block party that we're we're partnering up
with another organization at Charlestown called All Roads Charlestown.
Speaker 3 (30:18):
Uh.
Speaker 6 (30:18):
And it's going to be from the training field hopefully
up to the monument, a massive block party for food trucks,
other Charlestown vendors, live music.
Speaker 3 (30:29):
Okay, where's the block party? I love block party?
Speaker 5 (30:31):
June fifteenth.
Speaker 6 (30:32):
It's going to be Saturday, June at the training Field
in Charlestown.
Speaker 3 (30:35):
And where's the training field?
Speaker 6 (30:37):
Steps from the monument? Oh okay, on the on the
Freedom Trail. What time well, it kicks off with the
doll carriage parade in the morning at like ten am.
Speaker 5 (30:47):
Whyn't one of the most is the children.
Speaker 3 (30:51):
Okay, the doll carriage parade.
Speaker 6 (30:53):
Yeah, and correct me if I'm if I'm wrong. I
think it's older than the parade itself.
Speaker 3 (30:58):
Wow. Okay, So it's a big hit in Charleston, it
really is. Okay, all right, And then that leads up
to the into the block block party. Bands at the
block party or a.
Speaker 6 (31:09):
Day full of bands, food, It's it's just gonna be
a great.
Speaker 5 (31:14):
Celebration Flag Day.
Speaker 4 (31:16):
So so that that block party will will sit in
front of the Bunker Hill Monument and you can travel
down to the training field. But in the within the
confines of the Bunker Hill Monument, they're also putting out
I'm not sure the number, but I know, like a
bazillion flags and they'll do like a little ceremony in
the morning to commemorate Flag Day. Yeah, and that is
that what that's one of part of the programming for
(31:39):
that day.
Speaker 3 (31:39):
Hey, I've got a suggestion the winner of the talent
show should perform at the block party. I'm still in
the building process. Oh, we're coming by the block party, food.
Speaker 5 (31:51):
Trucks, food trucks, everything.
Speaker 3 (31:53):
All right, and what happens next?
Speaker 6 (31:55):
Uh then you uh, that's Saturday. We go into Sunday.
The next day. Our association puts on a wonderful breakfast
in the morning to kind of kick off that parade
day and the parade itself a bunch of speakers. We
have a guest speaker this year. I won't give it away,
but uh, it's with it being a veterans parade where
(32:16):
we're calling in the big guns for for this, for
this breakfast, and then it kicks right off into the
parade for that Sunday.
Speaker 3 (32:24):
But where's the starting line for the parade? I always
arrive in the middle of everything.
Speaker 5 (32:28):
So it's Connie where Bruce Hawk is? Oh yeah, right
in front right there?
Speaker 3 (32:32):
Oh where the big liquor store is That? Is that?
By the way, Bruce Fork Good Breakfast is? Is that
the same ownership the liquor store and Brewers Fork? The
Brewers Fork is co owners of Dovetail. Yeah, okay, all right,
we're just yeah, it's a big family. It's small enough. Okay.
(32:56):
Where do we drop off Dovetail by the way, is yeah,
we get to out there Michael.
Speaker 4 (33:01):
And carry it lights out people.
Speaker 3 (33:03):
Oh and speaking of takeout, something about Warren Tavern that
I love. You have an old school takeout window. Am
I making that up? Was that a dream?
Speaker 2 (33:11):
Oh?
Speaker 4 (33:11):
That was during the pandemic. Oh, so we put it
out the window through that we went.
Speaker 3 (33:16):
There a lot.
Speaker 5 (33:17):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (33:17):
Cool, you just pull up, grab your fruit and go. Yeah.
Speaker 5 (33:19):
We kept people, kept our staff working.
Speaker 3 (33:22):
As much as we could. All right back to the celebration.
We ended with the block party.
Speaker 6 (33:26):
And then we had flag Day, the parade day, breakfast,
and then the parade itself.
Speaker 4 (33:32):
A point to bring up is that the breakfast is
actually going to be held at the Courageous Sailing Center
this year.
Speaker 3 (33:39):
That's right near me.
Speaker 5 (33:40):
And you come on down.
Speaker 3 (33:42):
Who gets to go to the breakfast?
Speaker 5 (33:43):
You can come.
Speaker 3 (33:45):
What's the date of the breakfast.
Speaker 5 (33:46):
It's the morning of the parade. It's June sixteenth.
Speaker 3 (33:48):
Oh and that's right out there in the harbor. That's earlier.
When are they going to do something with that peer,
you know, the one I'm talking about.
Speaker 5 (33:55):
That's that's a rabbit hole. I'm not going to go
down a big.
Speaker 3 (33:58):
Political tug of war here. You know, people have their
own stories and I'm like, what a magnificent property, it's
just weeds. And then just to the we have flagship condos.
Right then you've got the Marinas, Pier six, perod eight,
You've got Pier six restaurant, and and then Courageous Sailing
and right in the middle of this big empty lot.
Speaker 5 (34:20):
We can't figure it.
Speaker 2 (34:22):
They should at.
Speaker 3 (34:22):
Least open it up and use it during the celebration
right out on the harbor. Yeah. Now does Old Ironsides
play a part at all in the big celebration.
Speaker 4 (34:31):
Well, I mean obviously, yes, always. I mean the commander
will be at the breakfast and she and she as well,
she'll also be at most of our activities during the week.
Speaker 3 (34:40):
I've met her.
Speaker 5 (34:40):
Very cool, very cool.
Speaker 4 (34:43):
And again, just lots happening in the town is going
to be totally activated. And it's one square mile, so imagine,
you know.
Speaker 3 (34:54):
It's just you can just walk to everything that's going on.
And don't forget I mean, the tours, so the Constitution
are constantly going on. I showed Meet Boston, just shot there,
and we just shot at the museum. So there's so
much going on. Ye without a celebration in Charlestown, Okay,
give me some other highlights.
Speaker 4 (35:13):
So one thing I just want to remind everybody of
and just to kind of jump around.
Speaker 5 (35:17):
I know we jumping around a.
Speaker 4 (35:17):
Bit, but like we talked about, I always like to
bring people's attention to the fact that Charlestown is one
of the most historic communities in arguab believe in the
United States, I mean, the most historic neighborhood, and people
forget that. So when you when you come into Boston
and you're traveling into Boston, remember that Charleston is where
(35:38):
it's all happened. That's where it all began.
Speaker 3 (35:40):
You know, it's funny you say that because Jennie Johnson
and I kicked off a fairly well it's over a
year old now called Meet Boston, and we're partnered with
Meet Boston that used to be the Office of Travel
and Tourism, and the whole idea of the show is
to introduce people to the city of Boston and everything
that's going on. And when I first started doing the
(36:00):
show as a tease, I said, I don't care if
you've lived here your entire life. Through Meet Boston, you're
going to find out things about your city you never
knew it existed and it's were right under your eyeballs
and that's what we're finding out. So even with Meet
Boston shooting a few weeks ago in Charlestown, well we
came into the tavern, so you may want to check
(36:22):
that out. That's a dining playbook nine am Saturdays, nine
pm Sundays and Meet Boston nine thirty am Saturdays, nine
thirty Sunday nights. Okay, what I need to know now
in terms of the celebration, where can people go to
get the calendar of events and to get all the
information they need?
Speaker 6 (36:40):
You can? You can follow us on Facebook, Instagram, the
Bunker Hill Associates, and you also go to our website
Bhassociates dot org and on there you're going to see
a bunch of merchandise to celebrate thefty.
Speaker 3 (36:55):
Oh yeah, oh can you order online or where can
you order it?
Speaker 6 (36:58):
Right on the website. We also have a great newsletter
and some we have a full calendar of events for
the week.
Speaker 4 (37:05):
One of the things that's important too about the Bunga
Hill Associates is that because we are a nonprofit, we
everything that we any fundraiser we do, any money that
we earn goes right back into our community.
Speaker 3 (37:16):
O good. It goes to.
Speaker 4 (37:17):
Grants, scholarships, program any programming that need the system.
Speaker 3 (37:21):
So come to the celebration. You'll see your money at work,
you sir, so to spree. We got to take a break.
We've got a few minutes left, and when we come back, Kim,
I want you to think about anything that we may
have missed about Warren Tavern. Okay, so give some thought
to it. We'll get a few minutes left to the show.
We'll take a break. We'll be right back.
Speaker 1 (37:39):
You're listening to Food for Thought, brought to you by
the Box Center and Salem Waterfront Hotel and Sweets.
Speaker 3 (37:46):
Okay, welcome back to Food for Thought, everybody. Billy Costa here.
We just have a few minutes left. This has been
a great show. I've learned a lot, and I hope
if you're listening you've learned a lot as well, especially
about the beautiful city of Charlestown and all that is happening.
Is part of two hundred and fiftieth celebration, which kicks
off mid June. And we've got Kim here, the general
manager of Warren Tavern, huge part of Charlestown's history, two
(38:10):
hundred and forty five years. Think of it, Kim, five
more years and he.
Speaker 2 (38:14):
Could have matched the two and fifty. That's amazing.
Speaker 5 (38:17):
I hope they can make it.
Speaker 3 (38:19):
We've only got a few minutes left. Any points we
missed about one one.
Speaker 5 (38:23):
One thing that we didn't highlight was General.
Speaker 3 (38:25):
Warren himself, Oh is he going to be there? Now?
Speaker 5 (38:27):
He's he won't be there.
Speaker 4 (38:28):
But he died so early on in the Battle of
Bunker Hill Breeds Hill, that he never got the true
recognition he truly deserved in his place in American history.
Had he lived, he probably would have been the first
president of.
Speaker 5 (38:39):
The United States. That's how hot he thought of he was.
Speaker 4 (38:43):
He was right there with Paul Revere and Samuel Adams
and John Hancock, you know, really brands behind a lot
of the strategy that moving forward about what they did.
But he was a medical doctor as well, so we
obtained lots of information from the British soldiers and their families.
More important, he sent Paul Revere and William Dawes on
(39:03):
their famous ride heading out.
Speaker 3 (39:05):
He's the one that's like he ordered Paul Revere and
he gave him the take the ride, and that's when
He's riding around yelling and screaming literature coming or yeah.
Speaker 5 (39:15):
The British are coming.
Speaker 2 (39:16):
Wow.
Speaker 5 (39:17):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (39:17):
So and you know it's like you know, I told
I talked about meet Boston earlier. That's something else. If
you've lived here in your whole life and you didn't,
you haven't climbed the monument in Charles Down, how can
you not?
Speaker 4 (39:30):
Billy? When I was young, I remember, like, you know,
you took for granted walking over to Fanuel Hall, going
to Shaan's, going to Yeah Box and all that walking
home at three in the morning, coming back having that,
you know, the flexibility to walk wherever you wanted in
the city, right from your town. And my parents would
send me up. I'll go up to the monument, run
up and down the stairs a couple of times. Now,
I know why, right to get out that energy, But yeah,
(39:51):
I mean it speaks to the point of, like, you know,
you don't really know until you know, right, Yeah, I.
Speaker 3 (39:56):
Mean, really, if you're listening, start enjoying the history that
is this re Like you know, just recently we shot
the TV show in Cambridge and Harvard Square and our
hubsters hopped around and showed you all the hidden gems
of this region that you may not know about, even
though you've lived here with your eyes closed your entire life.
You mentioned the General we were shooting at Harvard Square,
(40:18):
and I learned that the very spot we were standing
is where George Washington took command of the Continental Army. Like, okay,
you're standing there having a ham sandwich and George Washington
was standing there. I mean, it's the history in this
area is bizarre.
Speaker 5 (40:36):
It's very patriotic.
Speaker 4 (40:39):
It makes us, you know, very proud to be from Charlestown,
and we want to share that with everybody.
Speaker 3 (40:44):
Okay, before we let you go, a couple more highlights
of Orient towern Let's say somebody's going in there for
the first time, walking through their meal, the absolute go
to meal.
Speaker 4 (40:51):
Start to finish. Start with the chowder, yep, big tactic,
Top it off with an ice cream brownie Sunday, and
then have yourself a Sam Adams.
Speaker 3 (41:02):
You know what's funny, I had that exact meal when
I was there last. I started with the chowder, which
by the way, is perfect, and then I had the
haddache and who doesn't want to get the the sunday? Wow?
And how many years have you been there ken twenty
five years. Wow. Yeah, I always ask this on the
way out. Are you hiring?
Speaker 5 (41:21):
Actually it's a good thing we're not.
Speaker 4 (41:23):
We're not hiring because we have the same staff we've
had for a long long time. And I wouldn't trade
those kids in for anything in the world. They're very
important to me.
Speaker 3 (41:30):
And one more time, some sort of a website, all
things Warren Tavern, all things Celebration.
Speaker 6 (41:35):
Bunker Hill Associates Bhassociates dot org.
Speaker 5 (41:38):
And Warren Tavern Warren Tavern dot com.
Speaker 3 (41:40):
It's that easy. Thanks so much, it's been a lot
of fun, Billy. Thank you very much, my pleasure. I'll
see you around town, so to speak. Sure, definitely see
you at the parade. Yeah, thanks for tuning in, everybody.
Food for Thought. Jenny and I do this every Sunday
night on WBZ News Radio, and I love saying this
every single week. Up next sixty minutes
You're listening to Food for Thought with Billy and Jenny,
brought to you by the Box Center.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
For more than fifteen.
Speaker 1 (00:05):
Years, this dining duo has been eating their way through
New England, mixing it up with top chefs, jumping behind
the line of the hottest restaurants and giving you the
inside scoop on where to wine, dine and spend your time.
So get ready, it's Food for Thought giving you something
to chew on.
Speaker 3 (00:21):
Hey, everybody, welcome into Food for Thought. Billy Costa here,
hope your weekend. Your weekend is going beautifully. We've got
a big show this week. I happen to keep my
boat in Charlestown. By the way, the Charlestown Marina named
number one marina in America. Wow, And I've been there
for several summers now. And one of the most famous
(00:41):
places in Charlestown is Warren Tavern, which is, I believe,
one of the oldest taverns in the country. And Charlestown
is getting ready for a big celebration. I think it's
two hundred or two hundred and fifty years or something.
Wo So Kim, the general manager of Warren Tavern, who's
going to be joining us a little bit later in
the show. But right now we've got my old friend
(01:02):
Jimmy Lang from Fuji Restaurants and now the all new
Mason's Steakhouse in Quincy. Now, Jimmy, I'm gonna put you
on the spot. Yes, I did it on the Billy
and Lisa Morning Show. Hopefully you have done your homework
since how many Fujis and where are they? Okay, I'm
keeping notes this time.
Speaker 2 (01:21):
All right, I've got six Fujisa. I'm in Newton, Yeah,
Assembly Row, Ink Block.
Speaker 3 (01:30):
You're in the Ink Block.
Speaker 2 (01:31):
Yeah? Oh yeah, in Boston Okay, High Street Place.
Speaker 3 (01:34):
Oh, we've got four so far, quin Quincy, the original,
the Motherland, so to speak. Okay.
Speaker 2 (01:43):
In Kendall Square, Oh good, good, good square on Third Street.
Speaker 3 (01:47):
You know, funny thing about Kendall Square. I grew up
in East Cambridge and Kendall Square was basically my backyard,
believe it or not. The freight yards, the railroad yards, yeah,
you're long gone, were my backyard. It was great growing
up my brother and I and our friends. But always
raise hell over at the freight yards and we actually
hop the trains like old Western style while they were moving.
(02:12):
The goal was to get on the train and climb
up onto the rooms like an old Western But now
what was our backyard like a ghost town? Yeah, and abandoned.
That freight yard is now Technology Square. And where in
the Kendall Square area is Fuji?
Speaker 2 (02:29):
I am on third third Street? Yeah? Three and your
third okay? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (02:34):
Is that near Cambridge Side?
Speaker 2 (02:37):
That is where a couple of blocks away from camber Side.
Speaker 3 (02:40):
Okay, yeah, yeah, all right, so Kendle Square, but the
original one is Quincy. Give us a history. How did
it come about? Fuji and Quincy? Where were you before
you started Fuji Quinsy?
Speaker 2 (02:52):
So where was I? I started my culinary journey when
I was about fourteen. I worked around restauranting Cambridge in Boston,
and by the time I was sixteen, I was a
full fledged sushi chef at really at a couple of
restaurants like which Ones Tokyo restaurant in Cambridge. All the
(03:15):
restaurants I worked at, Billy, they're all closed.
Speaker 3 (03:17):
Now that's okay, Well you didn't shut them down. We
need to put that out. Nothing you did. It just
happened organically.
Speaker 2 (03:24):
So that time time happened, okay. And so I was
at after Tokyo. I was over at Yoshi on Newbury Street.
Speaker 3 (03:31):
Oh yeah, yeah, a really good place.
Speaker 2 (03:34):
Yeah yeah. And then I became head chef when I
was eighteen years old at the Apollo in Chinatown. I
don't know if you remember that, but that was like
a late night spot. It was a Korean Japanese restaurant.
Speaker 3 (03:45):
So this is really a hard working road to where
you are now.
Speaker 2 (03:49):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (03:50):
No, I know. Jenny and I shot our TV show
at I think it was Fuji and Quincy.
Speaker 2 (03:54):
No, you were you guys were at a BIS show
Chi when you were there. I was, I was there.
I was in the peripheral. But you you were doing
and you did the interview with my manager at the time, Alexis.
Speaker 3 (04:07):
And wasn't it like a cooking demo or something that
we did in there? I see, I thought I did
a cooking demo with you. It might have been a dream.
All due respect, every so often.
Speaker 2 (04:17):
Jimmy stuff together.
Speaker 3 (04:22):
Not that there's anything wrong with that. I'm just saying, Okay,
so six foujis and they're all wonderful. The one that
assembly row it took some serious colonies, can I say that?
Aj the producer on w b Z right now. Okay, serious,
because Assembly Row for years was a ghost town. I
mean it was a mall some time ago that did okay,
(04:44):
but then was abandoned.
Speaker 2 (04:45):
Do you remember the good times?
Speaker 3 (04:47):
Yes, absolutely it was.
Speaker 2 (04:49):
It was kind of a fun place back then. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (04:51):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (04:51):
Everybody went there, hung out and it was a run mall.
They they did casino nights. I remember, Oh.
Speaker 3 (04:56):
Wow, I remember the store suit Yourself, Franco. I had
a men's clothing store, Suit Yourself there. But then it
was closed for a long time and they only store
left was the Christmas tree shop.
Speaker 2 (05:06):
They I think they. I don't know if there's still there.
I can't remember.
Speaker 3 (05:11):
I don't think, but they were there for a long
long But you were one of the first to open
a Fuji at Assembly Row, and that must have been
a gamble because you didn't know what to expect there, right,
I mean when.
Speaker 2 (05:22):
We first got in there was kind of like no
man's land. Yes, it was just all construction. I still remember.
After I secured the location, we were working on build
out plans. I took my parents there because they want
the sea. Sure it's doing, so I took a little
trip over and I was showing them They're like, what
are you doing? Are you sure you want to open
in Russia? I go, mom, it's were the very beginning
(05:44):
stages of Lodge development. I said, you know, this company,
Federal Realty, they're putting in a lot of money. So
who am I to say?
Speaker 3 (05:52):
Well, I'm sure they said the same thing to a
lot of the business owners that went into the Seaport district.
And look at the Seaport District now and now as
Assembly roll, one of the busiest malls you can go to.
It is crowded and packed every day, all day into
the night.
Speaker 2 (06:08):
Well, I mean, you know, it's it's they have a
good formula, which is great, great store selections, and you
put out your best product and then they've delivered on
every part of it. Because it's a gorgeous place to
walk around in, right, It's like a city within a
city in itself. Yeah, and it's just amazing. And it
has all these different businesses there, all these different services there, restaurants,
(06:32):
it's I mean, I think they I mean, it's it's
highly successful over there. It's it's it's huge.
Speaker 3 (06:37):
Okay, before we go to break very quickly, let's say
you don't own Fuji and you're walking in for the
first time, give me the one dish you cannot leave
without having spicy to in a row boom, just like that,
just like and that happens to be one of my
favorite roles.
Speaker 2 (06:52):
Thank you.
Speaker 3 (06:52):
And by the way, I've had yours many times, and
I don't mind telling you you make a great cocktail.
Shout out to your bartenders. Thank you Fuji to Rowan.
I'm sure that's the case in all of your Fuji's.
But we're gonna take a break. When we come back.
You've got a brand new steakhouse, yes, sir, in an
historical building downtown Quinsy, which is, for the lack of
a better phrase, kicking ass. Thank you, and we're going
(07:15):
to talk about that right after the break. Can I
say that aj on the show, okay, or she'll probably
edit without telling me. For the West Coast Feed, we'll
take a break where it's Jimmy Lang from Fuji and
now Mason Steakhouse and Quincy will take a break. We'll
be right back.
Speaker 1 (07:30):
You're listening to Food for Thought, brought to you by
the Box Center and Salem Waterfront Hotel in.
Speaker 3 (07:35):
Sweets Hey, everybody, welcome back to Food for thought. Very
cool guy. Jimmy Lang owns all the Fuji restaurants.
Speaker 2 (07:41):
Six of them. Yes, Billy, you have a bakery.
Speaker 3 (07:44):
I didn't know that I do.
Speaker 2 (07:45):
I just started that that I opened last August. It's
called Nibu Patisseri, and it's all about my chef, Chef
rob A Gonzalez. Amazing, amazing guy. We met eight years
ago when he was twenty twenty three years old. He
was already head chef at Bishamdi as the head baker.
Speaker 3 (08:04):
Oh, I love that restaurant, right, that's good accolades right there.
Speaker 2 (08:08):
Yeah, he was just he's also published cookbook author and
he he was this year's first runner up on the
annual Spring Bakeoff on the Food Network.
Speaker 3 (08:17):
So he's your bakery person.
Speaker 2 (08:19):
Yeah, he's my baker.
Speaker 3 (08:20):
And they're beautiful pastries. You brought a few boxes in today.
Speaker 2 (08:23):
Yeah, he's he's he does amazing work. He's the real deal.
So we met eight years ago. On the second night,
I introduced myself because he thought I was the bus
boy I was. I was waiting on on on on
on his table for two nights in a row. And
then I introduced myself and I said, and because the
first night he told me he was the head baker
(08:44):
over there, and the second night I was like, you
know what, I want an open bakery with you someday. Wow.
So it was eight years in the works. We so
he waited for me for good solid five years and
then we started looking at locations. Nothing came into fruition.
But now eight years into it, into that journey of ours,
we finally opened our first Nebu patisseri last year in August.
(09:05):
He's also partners with me at Mason's. He is my
head baker for the bakery department over Okay, which.
Speaker 3 (09:11):
By the way, you sounded like you were going to
open another bakery there for a second. Is that because
your wheels are always spinning.
Speaker 2 (09:17):
It's always spinning, there's always something in the work.
Speaker 3 (09:20):
Okay. Now we got to talk about Mason's the steakhouse. Yes, yes,
how long has it been open? Where exactly in Quincy
is it?
Speaker 2 (09:27):
So? Mason's Steakhouse is We are right across the street
from the Quinny Cento tes station, Yeah, kitty corner from
city Hall and the John Hancock Library. The building is
an old Masonic temple. I was built in nineteen twelve,
very historic, so it's amazing locations, very grand. I've known
(09:48):
of the building ever since I was a little boy
and I used to go to the John Hancock Library
and do my homework, and yeah, I fell in love
with the building ever since then.
Speaker 3 (09:57):
It burned down, right, Yeah, burned.
Speaker 2 (09:59):
Down it was.
Speaker 3 (10:00):
It was.
Speaker 2 (10:01):
It was a horrible fire. I mean it was accidental,
but I mean, but the just the site of a
historical building burning it didn't look right.
Speaker 3 (10:09):
So in the course of opening Mason's the Steakhouse, Am
I saying that right? Yes, in the course of opening
mason Steakhouse, you're also revitalizing, Yeah, the city of Quincy
in downtown with a famous building.
Speaker 2 (10:23):
Yes, So you know, credit goes to Fox Rock. Fox Rock.
They they bought the building and they they built two
buildings there, residential buildings called Center and Stone, gorgeous buildings
by the way, beautiful gyms love it. And so they
they they they they took out a space that copped
(10:45):
it copped it up, which is the Mason's Building. And
they yeah, described the interior of the building. It's two floors.
Oh geez, my my prep kitchen, now, Billy, When I
first got there, it was underwater, Okay, yeah, for status,
but now I mean it's it's my prep kitchen. And
then on the first level we have a full expo
(11:06):
kitchen with with with dining room. And then on the.
Speaker 3 (11:09):
Second exposed expo kitchen it's it's a little exposed.
Speaker 2 (11:13):
Yeah, you can see it, and up top you see
like so much firewood because we use the firewood for
for the food. We use a thing called the Jospa
grill and it's a combination of wood and coal, so
we have a lot of firewood there. You can see
the fire would displayed up top and we actually use
it not just for display, but it's it's a semi
(11:33):
open kitchen. It's very efficient. It was designed the kitchen.
It was an overall design. The overall design was Kevin Long.
You know Kevin.
Speaker 3 (11:42):
I've known Kevin for years. He was a Big nine
Entertainment for a long time. I know Kevin as far
back as when he was the executive chef at Tosca
and Haingham. I would go all the way to Hangham
just to get his food.
Speaker 2 (11:54):
It's good.
Speaker 3 (11:54):
Is incredibly talent.
Speaker 2 (11:56):
Absolutely, so walk us.
Speaker 3 (11:58):
Through your go to dishes, like if they're coming to
Mason Steakhouse for the first time. What is it that
they absolutely have to have before.
Speaker 2 (12:06):
They leave everything on the menu? Sir, Okay, that's what
I would say, but I mean some of my own
go to I mean, honestly, I love all the food
and I don't and I don't say that lightly. I
feel like the food is so good that I even
though I was very involved with the menu creation, working
with the guys giving them direction on where it needs
(12:27):
to go. But it's been a whole team collaboration terms
of where the menu is. And we've already changed it
once already.
Speaker 3 (12:35):
Where did you actually open?
Speaker 2 (12:36):
Masons to summer twenty third of last year? So two
days before Christmas?
Speaker 3 (12:40):
Oh wow, yeah, I'm kind of and the day before
my birthday. Oh yeah, happy birth See now I have
to come in for my birthday dinner.
Speaker 2 (12:46):
Your birthday, Oh my god.
Speaker 3 (12:48):
By the way, I have to mention you brought me
a couple of bottles of Camus red. Yes, and I
don't know how you knew it, but it's by far
my number one favorite red. What a beautiful wine.
Speaker 2 (13:02):
Wine for a cool guy like the Little Bird tell
you or something?
Speaker 3 (13:05):
How do we even know that you're reading my mind?
Speaker 2 (13:07):
It's one of my favorites.
Speaker 3 (13:09):
So do you fuse any of what you do with
Fuji with Mason Steakhouse?
Speaker 2 (13:17):
The overall answer is no, but there's a couple of
items that I squeezed him there. And I did that
for my father because my father and I will go,
we will go eat and stuff and every time we
go to a steakhouse. Yes, he would order the steak,
but that's pretty much it. He doesn't do the magazine
steak and potatoes guy. Yeah, my dad's not really steak
(13:39):
and potatoes. He's very traditional Asian. He needs to have
his white rice, his cobs, of course, right, and he
needs to have some veggies, and most steakhouses don't carry
things like that. So I added that to the menu.
And then I took one sauce which is a citrus
soy sauce that I make for Fuji. But I took
(13:59):
that and I'm making it into such a soy. I
made it into a reduction, so it still carries the
same flavors as the original sauce does, but it's but
it's now a different texture and it's a lot and
it's very very good for steaks, for fish, for everything.
So what's your favorite steak at my favorite steak it
would be the grass fed grass fed steak USDA Prime,
(14:23):
amazing cut. I could eat it all day long.
Speaker 3 (14:27):
But the lamb is so good. Well you've got lamb.
Speaker 2 (14:30):
Oh yeah, we've got lamb. The lamb is so good, Billy.
But I can't eat that too much because then you
get gout.
Speaker 3 (14:35):
I love lamb. Yeah, wife Michelle doesn't like it. So
we go out to eat. If lamb is on the menu,
get it because I don't have to share so good
anything else we get. We usually know half a net.
Well why don't you get the headache or the card
and I'll get the meat and then we split these.
But if there's a lamb in the menu, I'm getting
lamb because I don't have to give half of it away.
Speaker 2 (14:55):
Well you can split pastas we have. We have housemade pasta.
Oh okay, yeah, my, my, my, my pasta. Women Leada,
she is amazing. She makes she comes in every day.
She makes fresh pasta.
Speaker 3 (15:06):
We're talking a nice bolonnaise.
Speaker 2 (15:07):
Oh yeah, the bolonnaise, it's is so good. I actually
have a picture here. I'll show you real quick that okay.
Speaker 3 (15:14):
And while you look for the picture, how about seafood.
What's on the menu.
Speaker 2 (15:16):
Seafood. We have salmon, we have we have from cocktail,
we have we have prawns, we have prons. We have
something called fire five grilled prawn. So we put that
we marinated with with our sauces. We add we actually
add Harrisa on it and we put on the grill
(15:37):
and it comes out a little bit burnt, a little
bit of chocoal, but it's the flavors. It's amazing. And
the prons are huge, actually, the size of the prons.
It's now really good.
Speaker 3 (15:48):
We've got two big holidays coming up. The tend to
pack restaurants. Okay, Easter is around the corner. Yep, Mother's
Day is around the corner. Do you do any special
things for Mother's Day or for Easter?
Speaker 2 (16:01):
Yes, sir, we actually started working on that and your
favorite chef, Kevin, Yeah, he's in charge of doing special
stuff for us. So for those two days, Kevin is
actually shutting the restaurant down. Well, I shouldn't say shutting
the restaurant down. He's uh, he's where. We're doing different
hours on those two days. Yeah, we're gonna go. Usually
(16:21):
we open at four and we have run until nine thirty,
ten thirty. But on Mother's Day and Easter and on
East I think we're gonna be doing twelve o'clock to
eight o'clock. Oh okay, and Kevin's gonna be running the
whole show.
Speaker 3 (16:36):
But typically at Mason's, you don't do lunch.
Speaker 2 (16:40):
No, we don't get lunch, not yet. No, yeah, we start.
We're starting brunch this weekend. Actually, oh yeah, this is perfect.
Come bine, try out, try it out, brunch everybody. It's
gonna be amazing.
Speaker 3 (16:50):
Well what are you laying out during brunch? Is it
order from the menu kind of a.
Speaker 2 (16:53):
Brunch, yeah, order from menu. But we have I mean,
we have sweet stuff, we have savory stuff.
Speaker 3 (17:00):
Well, you have a bakery. Of course, you have sweet stow.
Speaker 2 (17:02):
We're gonna have croissants at some point. I think we
want to roll in tea time too, okay, like high
te on the weekends as well. So but yeah, the
Sunday combine, No, the Saturday Sunday, we're doing brunch of
Saturday Sundays. Come by, check it out. It's it's gonna
be amazing.
Speaker 3 (17:16):
Well, Jumie, I can't thank you enough for swinging by.
I know you are very generous and kind to the
morning show, The Billy and Lisa Morning Show, and you
and I will be doing some stuff together in the future.
You're always generous and you always offer up a great product.
So folks, if you're listening, try any of the six
fujis and definitely check out check out Mason Steakhouse and
what's the bakery name again.
Speaker 2 (17:37):
Nivu Patisseri and North Quincy.
Speaker 3 (17:39):
All right, Jimmy Lang, thank you so much for coming by.
Speaker 2 (17:41):
Thank you, Billy, appreciate you.
Speaker 3 (17:42):
We got to take a break. Next we're going to Charlestown,
his historical year in Charlestown, we'll meet the people who
run Warren Tavern.
Speaker 1 (17:50):
Next, you're listening to Food for Thought, brought to you
by the Box Center and Saling Waterfront Hotel in sweets Hey.
Speaker 3 (17:57):
Everybody, welcome back to a Food for Thought. The show continue.
I hope you have it a great night. I've got
Kim Mahoney and Nolan Carrier both here from the historical
Warren Tavern in Charlestown, which I like to call my
summer home if you don't mind, I dock at the
Charlestown Marina, which what by the way, was named number
one marina in America. So shout outs and congratulations to
(18:20):
Chuck and and Lagassi and their team. But let's talk
about the big celebration that's coming to Charlestown and Kim,
I'll start with you. Why are we celebrating in What
are we celebrating in Charlestown.
Speaker 4 (18:32):
So in June, the month of June, pretty much the
entire month will be celebrating the two hundred and fiftieth
anniversary of the revolution, which is which is called the
Battle of Bunker Hill, Battle of Breedee. Yeah, thus the
monument that's the Bunker Hill Monument. Yeah, that's why we
have a monument there.
Speaker 5 (18:48):
With that.
Speaker 4 (18:49):
In the Warren Tavern is going to be celebrating the
two hundred and forty fifth anniversary of the building itself.
It's the original structure, so we'll have that. They coincide
with one another. So lots of activity in Charlestown and
Nolan just a quick correction is part of the Bunge
Hill Associates, which is part of that whole programming shows
(19:11):
you're a little too well dressed for a tavern.
Speaker 6 (19:13):
I probably won't, I probably won't make the history books.
But like Paul Rivera or George Washington, but a lifelong
pitsion of the Warren Tavern as well.
Speaker 3 (19:20):
So you're in on the committee, so to speak, the
group that is running this celebration.
Speaker 6 (19:25):
Yeah, along with a bunch of other organizations in Charlestown.
But we have been the Warren Tavin has been a
huge supporter of ours since our inception in nineteen eighty five.
So that's how we kind of fit in with the
Tavern on this one and especially this year.
Speaker 3 (19:39):
Yeah, and we'll talk more about the celebration as the
show continues. But God, the Warren Tavern two hundred and
forty five years incredible.
Speaker 4 (19:47):
Yeah, I mean frequented by Paul Revere, Samuel Adams, George
Washington himself.
Speaker 3 (19:52):
Wait a minute, Paul Revere would pull up with his horse.
Speaker 4 (19:55):
Yes sir, and really drink some cider or ale, which
was the drink of choice.
Speaker 3 (20:00):
Back then, and then what was his favorite dish.
Speaker 4 (20:03):
Well, it's funny because they only really served like soups
and stews, so back then they would just take things
that whatever they had in the kitchen and they would
just kind of throw it.
Speaker 3 (20:13):
Do you still have that stew on the menu?
Speaker 5 (20:15):
No, we we do a close thing called the clam chowder.
Speaker 3 (20:18):
So all right, it's gonna be a great summer, is
what you're saying. And when does it all start.
Speaker 5 (20:23):
It's gonna kick.
Speaker 4 (20:23):
Well, it actually kicks off, believe it or not. April eighteenth,
there's gonna be a Paul Revere ride. There's gonna be
two Paul Revella rides through haws back on Friday, April eighteenth.
Paul Revere is gonna come through the harbor, across the
harbor on a boat and then jump on a hoss
and ride from uh from Charlestown over all the way
to Charlesington.
Speaker 3 (20:42):
Okay, well, hold that thought. We have to take our
first break, and we're talking about Charlestown and Warren Tavern
and the big celebration coming up. We'll talk more right
after the break.
Speaker 1 (20:51):
You're listening to Food for Thought brought to you by
the Box Center and sail In Waterfront Hotel and sweets.
Speaker 3 (20:58):
Hey, everybody, welcome back to Food for Thought again. Billy
Costa here, welcome in. We've got Kim Mahoney and Nolan Carrier.
We're talking about the big celebration in Charleston celebrating the
two hundred and fiftieth, but also Kim is with Warren
Tavern and the tavern is celebrating the two hundred forty fifth.
And I don't mind saying you look fabulous, Ken. You
(21:19):
saw that coming right? How many times as somebody.
Speaker 5 (21:22):
Said, just tell my husband that no joke.
Speaker 3 (21:24):
Like an old joke, you know what I'm saying. I
got to tell you though, I've been in you know,
because I keep my boat in Charlestown. We're there most
of the summer, and every time I go into Warren Tavern,
I walk away amazed and how good the food is?
You want to shout out the chef.
Speaker 4 (21:38):
For Yeah, we want to shut off the staff we have.
We have the same staff we've had. I mean I've
been there for twenty five years. The chef has been
there probably around twenty and other employees have been there.
Speaker 5 (21:53):
I've had a higher local all the time.
Speaker 4 (21:56):
So I've had kids there since they've been sixteen years old.
Now they're in their thirties. So we're consistent everybody. We
treat the staff like a family. We call it a
dysfunctional family, if you will, but always there for one
another and try to make it a good fun work
environment that we show that we care for people.
Speaker 3 (22:15):
And I'm so glad you're saying that, because you know,
working years in food television, between TV Diner and Dining
Playbook and now meet Boston. The one conversation I constantly
end up having with management is staffing, and all I
ever hear is it's really tough finding staff, but even
tougher keeping staff. But you're doing both.
Speaker 2 (22:38):
How do you do it?
Speaker 5 (22:41):
I don't know.
Speaker 4 (22:41):
I think it's my approach to people, and you know,
and the owners are so good to me in terms
of letting me have that free reign where I can
manage the staff. But I think it's because I invest
in them. I care about their lives, I care about
what they're doing. I try to mentor them so that yes,
the warrant having it's a great place to work, but
(23:02):
there's more to life outside of restaurant industry, and I
encourage them to do more with their lives, you know,
And if they want to stay in the industry, that's great,
but you know, there's careers that they can advance and
do better.
Speaker 3 (23:13):
You know. Well, for the sake of people listening who
haven't been to a war and tavern in Charlestown. Walk
us into the building, into the space, and what are
the things that should jump right out at them that
are still left from the original days, so to speak,
If there is anything.
Speaker 4 (23:29):
Yes, so it would be the floors, fears later, Yes,
in the beams. So if you when you were first
walk in, you're going to feel that warmth that you
probably did in seventeen eighty, that cozy warmth. But also
you'll you'll you'll immediately your attention will immediately go to
the beams that we still have in this.
Speaker 5 (23:50):
Original original beams in the original flooring.
Speaker 4 (23:53):
If you look to the left, that's what we call
Kate's room.
Speaker 5 (23:57):
I don't know why. I think it was the farmer
owners niche she used to own the warrant tab in
a long time ago. Not a ghost but pictures of Kate. No,
I don't have any pictures of her, but we called it.
Speaker 4 (24:07):
That room is really really the main part of what
the original structure once was. So we kind of keep
the benches there and everything cozy and tidy.
Speaker 3 (24:18):
In the let's face that I mean, Charlestown, besides being historical,
is so charming, yes, as a town. And we're coming
up on the warmer weather, spring, summer eventually, and you
have a great outdoor dining section and to sit out
there having lunch or dinner is you feel like you're
in the middle of history and it's a great little
(24:40):
neighborhood and it's charming. You've got one of the best,
most charming outdoor seating area.
Speaker 4 (24:44):
I appreciate you saying that because I think so too.
And I feel like when I walk out the door
and you see the outdoors dining once it's set up,
and you look up in the backdrop as the Bunker
Hill monument. Yeah, as someone who grew up in Charlestown,
I feel that, you know, well, you got that great
sense of pride because Charleston does not get the true
recognition it deserves for its place in American.
Speaker 3 (25:06):
History, right, I think I agree with you.
Speaker 4 (25:08):
Yeah, it really doesn't. And without that battle, we wouldn't
have our freedom. Yeah it's the battle we lost, but.
Speaker 5 (25:13):
We wouldn't have that freedom.
Speaker 4 (25:14):
And from there, that's how you know with the Warren
Tavern was the first building built after the town of
Charleston was burnt down by the British soldiers. Yeah, so
the significance of that is huge and the fact that
it's named after General Warren, a forgotten patriot.
Speaker 3 (25:27):
There you go, and you'll get a real sense of
just how cool and historical Charleston is with the big
celebration that's coming up to two hundred fiftieth and we're
going to talk a lot about that. But before we
go to break, walk us through the menu. If you're
coming into Warren Tavern, not as the general manager, not
a part of the staff, so to speak, what are
(25:48):
the two things you have to get at Warren Tavern?
Speaker 5 (25:52):
Clam chowder is the one thing.
Speaker 4 (25:54):
I mean, it's the cornerstone of our menu. It's been
the same recipe since I can remember. And I would
look to.
Speaker 5 (26:02):
The baked tactic, which we all love, but that's the truth.
Speaker 4 (26:08):
It's the best around. And I would look to a burger.
Burgers are excellent.
Speaker 3 (26:11):
How many different burgers you have a variety?
Speaker 4 (26:13):
Yeah, we have about maybe four or five burgers, But
straight up, my go to is a straight up bacon chedderburgher.
Speaker 3 (26:20):
And every single time I walk in, I can't help
but feel that it's mostly regulars. You get the sense
that it's people that come several times a week and
sit in the same seats at the bar, or just
to be a part of it, so to speak.
Speaker 4 (26:34):
Oh, I appreciate you saying that, because we try to work.
We work very hard at making it a local place,
a neighborhood place, because Charlston's a walkable community, right, so
we work hard at keeping that balance that. Yes, we
have lots of tourists that walk through our door, all
walks of life, but we keep it local because we
know it's a walkable community and we want to make
(26:56):
sure that we capture that that local feel. And we
don't go John Price his tourist price or anything like that.
We try to keep our price points.
Speaker 3 (27:03):
And you know, you're a part of history. You're working
and existing in a building that is a serious part
of history. And no better time to check out Charlestown
than this year because they are celebrating two hundred and
fifty years. And we'll tell you some of what to
expect and some of what to take in. Right after the.
Speaker 1 (27:19):
Break, you're listening to Food for Thought, brought to you
by the Box Center and Salem Waterfront Hotel in Swedes.
Speaker 3 (27:27):
Hey, everybody, welcome back to Food for Thought. I'm having
a lot of fun. First again, thanks to Jimmy Lang
top of the show. He came in to talk about
Fuji his new steakhouse in Quincy called Mason Steakhouse. Really
really cool and very very generous guy. So shout outs
again to Jimmy Lang and his staff. And now I'm
here with Kim Mahoney with Nolan a carrier. Kim is
well the general manager of history the Warren Tavern in Charlestown,
(27:50):
and Nolan, you are with an association that is a
big part of what's going to be happening in Charlestown.
When does it start, the two fiftieth celebration? Correct?
Speaker 6 (28:01):
Yeah, So I am lucky, lucky to be the president
and very grateful to be the president of an association
in Charlestown that's been around since nineteen eighty five. It's
called the Bunker Hill Associates. And in the month of June,
to celebrate the two hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the
Battle of Bunker Hill, We're going to put on a
week's worth of events for kids, for families, for veterans,
(28:24):
all free of charge.
Speaker 3 (28:25):
Okay, When does it start?
Speaker 6 (28:28):
June June twelfth, June twelfth, over the beginning and it
will have a celebration for veterans as it is a
veterans parade that next coming Sunday the Battle of Bunker Hill.
Speaker 3 (28:42):
So the parade in Charlestown is a real parade, correct,
you know, a lot of towns try it and it's
but when you're in Charlestown and you get behind the scenes,
you see all the trucks and the marching bands are
coming in from all over. I get the sense that
they're all thrilled to be a part of that parade
in Charleston. So the parade will happen during that week, right, that.
Speaker 6 (29:04):
Is the end of the celebration will be that Sunday
on June sixteenth.
Speaker 3 (29:09):
So that's the big finale it is, and everybody's lined
up in the streets and their beach chairs and everything.
It's such a cool event. And one year my wife
Michelle and I actually went to Monument and because they
had seating right outside on the parade route and we
got coffee in bissone or something and okay, so walk
(29:29):
us through the celebration. It all starts June twelveth. What
can we expect either one of you, you Nolan or
you Kim.
Speaker 6 (29:36):
So starting on that June twelfth, the week before, we're
actually going to raise the Bunky Hill flag at the
monument and kind of kick off the week full of celebrations,
and then from there we're doing a bunch of a
bunch of other smaller events for kids to get Charleston's
got talent? A family feud?
Speaker 3 (29:55):
Are you having a talent show? Oh? It's no way,
really awesome? Every park? Where's it going to be at?
Speaker 2 (30:01):
That?
Speaker 5 (30:01):
Inanu Street Park on the park off of Main Street
in Charleston.
Speaker 3 (30:04):
Oh okay, Oh that's cool. Yeah, I mean it really
is Charlestown idol exactly.
Speaker 6 (30:11):
We have a block party that we're we're partnering up
with another organization at Charlestown called All Roads Charlestown.
Speaker 3 (30:18):
Uh.
Speaker 6 (30:18):
And it's going to be from the training field hopefully
up to the monument, a massive block party for food trucks,
other Charlestown vendors, live music.
Speaker 3 (30:29):
Okay, where's the block party? I love block party?
Speaker 5 (30:31):
June fifteenth.
Speaker 6 (30:32):
It's going to be Saturday, June at the training Field
in Charlestown.
Speaker 3 (30:35):
And where's the training field?
Speaker 6 (30:37):
Steps from the monument? Oh okay, on the on the
Freedom Trail. What time well, it kicks off with the
doll carriage parade in the morning at like ten am.
Speaker 5 (30:47):
Whyn't one of the most is the children.
Speaker 3 (30:51):
Okay, the doll carriage parade.
Speaker 6 (30:53):
Yeah, and correct me if I'm if I'm wrong. I
think it's older than the parade itself.
Speaker 3 (30:58):
Wow. Okay, So it's a big hit in Charleston, it
really is. Okay, all right, And then that leads up
to the into the block block party. Bands at the
block party or a.
Speaker 6 (31:09):
Day full of bands, food, It's it's just gonna be
a great.
Speaker 5 (31:14):
Celebration Flag Day.
Speaker 4 (31:16):
So so that that block party will will sit in
front of the Bunker Hill Monument and you can travel
down to the training field. But in the within the
confines of the Bunker Hill Monument, they're also putting out
I'm not sure the number, but I know, like a
bazillion flags and they'll do like a little ceremony in
the morning to commemorate Flag Day. Yeah, and that is
that what that's one of part of the programming for
(31:39):
that day.
Speaker 3 (31:39):
Hey, I've got a suggestion the winner of the talent
show should perform at the block party. I'm still in
the building process. Oh, we're coming by the block party, food.
Speaker 5 (31:51):
Trucks, food trucks, everything.
Speaker 3 (31:53):
All right, and what happens next?
Speaker 6 (31:55):
Uh then you uh, that's Saturday. We go into Sunday.
The next day. Our association puts on a wonderful breakfast
in the morning to kind of kick off that parade
day and the parade itself a bunch of speakers. We
have a guest speaker this year. I won't give it away,
but uh, it's with it being a veterans parade where
(32:16):
we're calling in the big guns for for this, for
this breakfast, and then it kicks right off into the
parade for that Sunday.
Speaker 3 (32:24):
But where's the starting line for the parade? I always
arrive in the middle of everything.
Speaker 5 (32:28):
So it's Connie where Bruce Hawk is? Oh yeah, right
in front right there?
Speaker 3 (32:32):
Oh where the big liquor store is That? Is that?
By the way, Bruce Fork Good Breakfast is? Is that
the same ownership the liquor store and Brewers Fork? The
Brewers Fork is co owners of Dovetail. Yeah, okay, all right,
we're just yeah, it's a big family. It's small enough. Okay.
(32:56):
Where do we drop off Dovetail by the way, is yeah,
we get to out there Michael.
Speaker 4 (33:01):
And carry it lights out people.
Speaker 3 (33:03):
Oh and speaking of takeout, something about Warren Tavern that
I love. You have an old school takeout window. Am
I making that up? Was that a dream?
Speaker 2 (33:11):
Oh?
Speaker 4 (33:11):
That was during the pandemic. Oh, so we put it
out the window through that we went.
Speaker 3 (33:16):
There a lot.
Speaker 5 (33:17):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (33:17):
Cool, you just pull up, grab your fruit and go. Yeah.
Speaker 5 (33:19):
We kept people, kept our staff working.
Speaker 3 (33:22):
As much as we could. All right back to the celebration.
We ended with the block party.
Speaker 6 (33:26):
And then we had flag Day, the parade day, breakfast,
and then the parade itself.
Speaker 4 (33:32):
A point to bring up is that the breakfast is
actually going to be held at the Courageous Sailing Center
this year.
Speaker 3 (33:39):
That's right near me.
Speaker 5 (33:40):
And you come on down.
Speaker 3 (33:42):
Who gets to go to the breakfast?
Speaker 5 (33:43):
You can come.
Speaker 3 (33:45):
What's the date of the breakfast.
Speaker 5 (33:46):
It's the morning of the parade. It's June sixteenth.
Speaker 3 (33:48):
Oh and that's right out there in the harbor. That's earlier.
When are they going to do something with that peer,
you know, the one I'm talking about.
Speaker 5 (33:55):
That's that's a rabbit hole. I'm not going to go
down a big.
Speaker 3 (33:58):
Political tug of war here. You know, people have their
own stories and I'm like, what a magnificent property, it's
just weeds. And then just to the we have flagship condos.
Right then you've got the Marinas, Pier six, perod eight,
You've got Pier six restaurant, and and then Courageous Sailing
and right in the middle of this big empty lot.
Speaker 5 (34:20):
We can't figure it.
Speaker 2 (34:22):
They should at.
Speaker 3 (34:22):
Least open it up and use it during the celebration
right out on the harbor. Yeah. Now does Old Ironsides
play a part at all in the big celebration.
Speaker 4 (34:31):
Well, I mean obviously, yes, always. I mean the commander
will be at the breakfast and she and she as well,
she'll also be at most of our activities during the week.
Speaker 3 (34:40):
I've met her.
Speaker 5 (34:40):
Very cool, very cool.
Speaker 4 (34:43):
And again, just lots happening in the town is going
to be totally activated. And it's one square mile, so imagine,
you know.
Speaker 3 (34:54):
It's just you can just walk to everything that's going on.
And don't forget I mean, the tours, so the Constitution
are constantly going on. I showed Meet Boston, just shot there,
and we just shot at the museum. So there's so
much going on. Ye without a celebration in Charlestown, Okay,
give me some other highlights.
Speaker 4 (35:13):
So one thing I just want to remind everybody of
and just to kind of jump around.
Speaker 5 (35:17):
I know we jumping around a.
Speaker 4 (35:17):
Bit, but like we talked about, I always like to
bring people's attention to the fact that Charlestown is one
of the most historic communities in arguab believe in the
United States, I mean, the most historic neighborhood, and people
forget that. So when you when you come into Boston
and you're traveling into Boston, remember that Charleston is where
(35:38):
it's all happened. That's where it all began.
Speaker 3 (35:40):
You know, it's funny you say that because Jennie Johnson
and I kicked off a fairly well it's over a
year old now called Meet Boston, and we're partnered with
Meet Boston that used to be the Office of Travel
and Tourism, and the whole idea of the show is
to introduce people to the city of Boston and everything
that's going on. And when I first started doing the
(36:00):
show as a tease, I said, I don't care if
you've lived here your entire life. Through Meet Boston, you're
going to find out things about your city you never
knew it existed and it's were right under your eyeballs
and that's what we're finding out. So even with Meet
Boston shooting a few weeks ago in Charlestown, well we
came into the tavern, so you may want to check
(36:22):
that out. That's a dining playbook nine am Saturdays, nine
pm Sundays and Meet Boston nine thirty am Saturdays, nine
thirty Sunday nights. Okay, what I need to know now
in terms of the celebration, where can people go to
get the calendar of events and to get all the
information they need?
Speaker 6 (36:40):
You can? You can follow us on Facebook, Instagram, the
Bunker Hill Associates, and you also go to our website
Bhassociates dot org and on there you're going to see
a bunch of merchandise to celebrate thefty.
Speaker 3 (36:55):
Oh yeah, oh can you order online or where can
you order it?
Speaker 6 (36:58):
Right on the website. We also have a great newsletter
and some we have a full calendar of events for
the week.
Speaker 4 (37:05):
One of the things that's important too about the Bunga
Hill Associates is that because we are a nonprofit, we
everything that we any fundraiser we do, any money that
we earn goes right back into our community.
Speaker 3 (37:16):
O good. It goes to.
Speaker 4 (37:17):
Grants, scholarships, program any programming that need the system.
Speaker 3 (37:21):
So come to the celebration. You'll see your money at work,
you sir, so to spree. We got to take a break.
We've got a few minutes left, and when we come back, Kim,
I want you to think about anything that we may
have missed about Warren Tavern. Okay, so give some thought
to it. We'll get a few minutes left to the show.
We'll take a break. We'll be right back.
Speaker 1 (37:39):
You're listening to Food for Thought, brought to you by
the Box Center and Salem Waterfront Hotel and Sweets.
Speaker 3 (37:46):
Okay, welcome back to Food for Thought, everybody. Billy Costa here.
We just have a few minutes left. This has been
a great show. I've learned a lot, and I hope
if you're listening you've learned a lot as well, especially
about the beautiful city of Charlestown and all that is happening.
Is part of two hundred and fiftieth celebration, which kicks
off mid June. And we've got Kim here, the general
manager of Warren Tavern, huge part of Charlestown's history, two
(38:10):
hundred and forty five years. Think of it, Kim, five
more years and he.
Speaker 2 (38:14):
Could have matched the two and fifty. That's amazing.
Speaker 5 (38:17):
I hope they can make it.
Speaker 3 (38:19):
We've only got a few minutes left. Any points we
missed about one one.
Speaker 5 (38:23):
One thing that we didn't highlight was General.
Speaker 3 (38:25):
Warren himself, Oh is he going to be there? Now?
Speaker 5 (38:27):
He's he won't be there.
Speaker 4 (38:28):
But he died so early on in the Battle of
Bunker Hill Breeds Hill, that he never got the true
recognition he truly deserved in his place in American history.
Had he lived, he probably would have been the first
president of.
Speaker 5 (38:39):
The United States. That's how hot he thought of he was.
Speaker 4 (38:43):
He was right there with Paul Revere and Samuel Adams
and John Hancock, you know, really brands behind a lot
of the strategy that moving forward about what they did.
But he was a medical doctor as well, so we
obtained lots of information from the British soldiers and their families.
More important, he sent Paul Revere and William Dawes on
(39:03):
their famous ride heading out.
Speaker 3 (39:05):
He's the one that's like he ordered Paul Revere and
he gave him the take the ride, and that's when
He's riding around yelling and screaming literature coming or yeah.
Speaker 5 (39:15):
The British are coming.
Speaker 2 (39:16):
Wow.
Speaker 5 (39:17):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (39:17):
So and you know it's like you know, I told
I talked about meet Boston earlier. That's something else. If
you've lived here in your whole life and you didn't,
you haven't climbed the monument in Charles Down, how can
you not?
Speaker 4 (39:30):
Billy? When I was young, I remember, like, you know,
you took for granted walking over to Fanuel Hall, going
to Shaan's, going to Yeah Box and all that walking
home at three in the morning, coming back having that,
you know, the flexibility to walk wherever you wanted in
the city, right from your town. And my parents would
send me up. I'll go up to the monument, run
up and down the stairs a couple of times. Now,
I know why, right to get out that energy, But yeah,
(39:51):
I mean it speaks to the point of, like, you know,
you don't really know until you know, right, Yeah, I.
Speaker 3 (39:56):
Mean, really, if you're listening, start enjoying the history that
is this re Like you know, just recently we shot
the TV show in Cambridge and Harvard Square and our
hubsters hopped around and showed you all the hidden gems
of this region that you may not know about, even
though you've lived here with your eyes closed your entire life.
You mentioned the General we were shooting at Harvard Square,
(40:18):
and I learned that the very spot we were standing
is where George Washington took command of the Continental Army. Like, okay,
you're standing there having a ham sandwich and George Washington
was standing there. I mean, it's the history in this
area is bizarre.
Speaker 5 (40:36):
It's very patriotic.
Speaker 4 (40:39):
It makes us, you know, very proud to be from Charlestown,
and we want to share that with everybody.
Speaker 3 (40:44):
Okay, before we let you go, a couple more highlights
of Orient towern Let's say somebody's going in there for
the first time, walking through their meal, the absolute go
to meal.
Speaker 4 (40:51):
Start to finish. Start with the chowder, yep, big tactic,
Top it off with an ice cream brownie Sunday, and
then have yourself a Sam Adams.
Speaker 3 (41:02):
You know what's funny, I had that exact meal when
I was there last. I started with the chowder, which
by the way, is perfect, and then I had the
haddache and who doesn't want to get the the sunday? Wow?
And how many years have you been there ken twenty
five years. Wow. Yeah, I always ask this on the
way out. Are you hiring?
Speaker 5 (41:21):
Actually it's a good thing we're not.
Speaker 4 (41:23):
We're not hiring because we have the same staff we've
had for a long long time. And I wouldn't trade
those kids in for anything in the world. They're very
important to me.
Speaker 3 (41:30):
And one more time, some sort of a website, all
things Warren Tavern, all things Celebration.
Speaker 6 (41:35):
Bunker Hill Associates Bhassociates dot org.
Speaker 5 (41:38):
And Warren Tavern Warren Tavern dot com.
Speaker 3 (41:40):
It's that easy. Thanks so much, it's been a lot
of fun, Billy. Thank you very much, my pleasure. I'll
see you around town, so to speak. Sure, definitely see
you at the parade. Yeah, thanks for tuning in, everybody.
Food for Thought. Jenny and I do this every Sunday
night on WBZ News Radio, and I love saying this
every single week. Up next sixty minutes
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